The positive relationships she has enjoyed with her teachers have been a real highlight of BSSC for Year 12 student, Molly Bartels.
“I feel like they ‘got me’ and understood—and accepted—my learning style. Being on a first name basis was great.”
Molly also believes it’s so important students select subjects they are passionate about, convinced it makes a real difference to the capacity to produce excellent work.
“The college is so diverse with many different groups—including sporty people, arty people, nerds—all fitting together in a more adult setting. It’s been a good experience to feel you can be truly yourself here.
“I’ve really enjoyed BSSC.”
Molly’s Year 12 subjects have been Music Performance, English Language, English Literature and Sociology and the only thing Molly would love to change is the pressure around exams.
“I know VCAA sets the agenda, but it feels like a bombardment to me—be much more fun to simply celebrate all the work we’ve done!”
Her hot study tip is to use blurting to discover areas that need work and not to keep covering what’s already embedded.
Molly didn’t take English Language 3 in first semester this year—so it was an intense time catching up in English Language 4 during semester two.
“Although it was very hard at the beginning, this subject actually helps me to understand why people communicate as they do. I think it relates to Psychology so it really clicks in my head.”
A few years ago, as she moved into Year 10, Molly was actually planning to be a psychologist, and took 1/2 Psychology as a pre-requisite. Later that year, after work experience in a kinder, she changed trajectory.
“I just loved working in the kinder and decided this was for me,” she says. “A career in this area is to contribute through a highly purposeful role at an incredibly important time in a child’s life.”
Molly now plans to study Cert II and a Diploma in Early Childhood which segues into a Bachelor of Early Childhood at La Trobe, Bendigo.
“And it’s definitely an advantage to have studied some Psychology.”
Regarding music, as far as she can remember, Molly has been singing since she could talk.
“I started singing lessons at ten and was in the Bendigo Youth Choir. I have taken drama classes and performed in musical theatre and school choirs.”
Molly has been having private singing lessons with Louise Matthews since she was in Year 10 and she has now completed AMEB Grades 4 and 5.
“I expect being able to sing will be a great skill to take into my Early Childhood teaching. In future I’d love to sing in a band, too.”
She recently performed with other BSSC VCE students at Langley Estate and says although she was incredibly nervous, the sense of connection with the audience made the event a stand-out experience for her.
“Even if it wasn’t my very best singing, it was so satisfying.”
At BSSC’s recent Musician of the Year performances, Molly was awarded one of two ‘honourable mentions’ for her outstanding performance of Missy Higgins’ ‘The Special Two’ and Manuel Miranda’s ‘Burn’.
“I was surprised to do so well because the guitarists were fantastic,” she says. “I also found the adjudicator’s crit very helpful.”
Molly finds listening to music a brilliant way to destress.
“It takes me away. I love indi band, Bôa, and highly recommend them—they relax me completely.”
When she’s preparing to perform, Molly does her vocal warm-ups and paces up and down. If she’s really nervous she even performs a few ‘power poses’ into a mirror to remind herself she can do it!
“I also make jokes and remind my brain that this is not that serious.”
She’s been a long-time lover of drawing and may one day follow up her passion to learn tattoo art.
And when it’s time to kick back, there’s nothing like a movie. The 2002 movie ‘Frida’ celebrating the remarkable life of internationally revered Mexican artist, Frida Kahlo, is an all-time fave of Molly’s.
“Frida was permanently and painfully injured in a bus crash and was unbelievably brave, insisting on living an authentic life despite her suffering.”
Authenticity is very important to Molly who says, “I work hard to be myself and I’m most proud of myself when I am as authentic as I can be.”
In fact, Molly would love to go back and tell her 12-year-old self something Frida would possibly recommend: “Don’t be affected by the people who judge you. It says more about them than you”.
“Again, this is about valuing being true to yourself: being authentic. I hope my 30-year-old self would tell me I’m fine—that I’m smart and I’m doing okay.”
Family are core for Molly. They have been so supportive and so understanding in the midst of the stress that has built as exams approached.
“They’re such great listeners.”
